Getting To Europe

Well, it's been a long couple of days, at least for me. Our fellowship started out at 9am on January 31^st in Rochester, New York. From there we headed towards Syracuse to pick up the rest of the crew. Our plane was leaving on Kuwait airlines out of JFK airport in New York City at 9pm on the same night. First we needed to get to Long Island in order to park our cars and dock them for five weeks. Luckily, our friend Duncan from the criminally under rated and lazy band Thieves and Assassins offered to house our cars at his house and drive us to the airport. By the time we arrived in long island, most of us were already emotionally spent from spending five hours in a car with each other but we pushed on.

Check in and security at JFK airport went a lot smoother than expected so we were almost two hours early for any type of boarding. To calm any type of pre flight jitters and nerves PBC and myself bellied up to the closest airport bar and decided to get loose. After a bar tab that bordered on 200 dollars it was time to board our 9pm flight. All six of us were seated right next to each other on a rather large plane. I've never flown overseas so I was a bit apprehensive about spending the next seven or so hours in a metal tube seated next to Chris Browne. What I was looking forward to was the free in flight meal. Choosing to live dangerously for the first since the last time I had unprotected sex, I decided to go with the lamb and curried potatoes.

At first everything ok. I popped my headphones into my ears, turned on my ipod, threw down a couple Tylenol PM's, and laid my head against the window looking out across the ocean. Twenty minutes later, I began to emerge from my drug induced slumber. I felt myself begin to sweat (more than usual), my stomach turn and my bowels drop. I shot a look at Goose croaked “I'm going to throw up.” Quickly, I needed to climb over Chris Browne and the previously mentioned Goose in order to get to the bathroom near the end of the plane. Something was wrong here. My whole body became clammy, fuzzy and warm all at the same time. By this time I had actually reached the bathroom but unfortunately the space was occupied. A foggy white veil began to close over my eyes and then everything went blank. I went down. Hard.

The next thing I remember was a 200 pound guardian angel reaching out his hand and pulling me off the ground and onto my feet again. My stocky life saver then guided me over to a closer seat where I could spread out and began feeding me cold water. Thank you, Goose Henning, you saved my life.

I don't know what happened. Maybe it was my first of many upcoming heart attacks. Maybe it was the lamb I ate. Perhaps it was the Tylenol PM and booze. Who knows, I don't have health insurance. Just know I haven't stopped smoking.

After throwing up twice and barely sleeping a wink, myself and the rest of the plane finally landed in London England at 9am on February 1^st. Our new friend and and driver for the tour Stan was awaiting our arrival and took us to our Sprinter Volkswagen that would be our home for the next five weeks. Looking around London while at the airport, I felt nothing. I thought I'd feel an excitement or at least positive anxiety about being in a new country and new environment for the first time in my life. The weather, gloomy and cold, reminded me of back home or at best Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I suppose I am disappointed in myself for not being able to shed my cynicism and jadedness but fuck, I fell down in front of a group of people. On a plane. Thousands of feet in the air. A grown man. Get off my back.

The remainder of the day was spent observing London through a rainy window, shuttled around in a vehicle that was clearly on the wrong side of the road! Eventually, we made it back to accommodating new friends who agreed to put all of us up for the night. Being Americans it was absolutely essential that we watch the Super Bowl. So that's where we are now. Being American. Explaining the rules of the game to confused and bored Englishmen. I like the way they talk. I haven't fainted again in almost 24 hours. Things may get better from here.